Microsurgical techniques are often very important in correcting diseased or damaged bone or other structure without the trauma of normal surgical techniques. For example, fusion of vertebrae of the spinal column is indicated in many cases of diseased or damaged vertebrae. There are several well-known procedures for performing vertebrae fusions and the techniques are generally described in voluminous literature on the subject. These general procedures are of limited applicability in treating diseases or injuries to the cervical vertebrae. Cervical vertebrae are delicate, with small bodies, and a very large neural canal. Consequently, the available bone is limited and many procedures which may be quite satisfactory in treating thoracic and lumbar vertebrae, which are much larger, are not applicable in the treatment of cervical vertebrae. One could cite other microsurgical techniques, such as are used in certain joint surgical procedures, etc.
A feature of this invention is in the provision of a small, easily handled microsurgery saw drive for operating a delicate micro-saw in microsurgical procedures generally, e.g. in cervical vertebrae fusion procedures, and in other procedures where it is necessary or desirable to make small cuts in bone or rigid body structures. The drive of this invention is designed for use, most advantageously, with the microsurgery saw described herein, but is not so limited.